Eavestroughs and guttering form a very important part of your house structure. So much so, that without them, your home would likely suffer from regular flooding and other damage. It should be surprising then, that most of us don’t pay much attention at all to our eavestrough installations, only remembering them when they need repairs or maintenance. Yet, if we had given them the consideration they deserve in the first place, there’s a good chance that they would need much less maintenance and fewer repairs.

Should I Opt for a Seamless or Regular Eavestrough Installation?

Whether you are contemplating a new build, or are looking at repairing or replacing an existing installation, you should be aware that eavestrough installations are usually seamless or regular, joined gutters. Both of these options have their merits and demerits, and that’s why we’ve come up with some tips to help you choose which one is more suitable for you:

• If you are looking for a DIY project – Traditional eavestrough installations are made up of separate gutter parts, which simply need joining together. This can make it relatively simple for you to join and assemble at home, thus keeping down additional labour costs. The trade-off is that these gutters are more prone to blockages and require much more maintenance than their seamless counterparts.
• If you are looking for low-maintenance eavestroughs – Seamless gutters are formed from one continuous piece of material, without joints. They are made to fit your house perfectly, and this means that they are able to do their job with minimal complications. As there is no way for debris to be caught between joints, there is no strain on the guttering. This means they need less cleaning and will last much longer than a traditional eavestrough installation.
• If you are concerned about safety – It is very wise to consider the state of your guttering as a potential hazard to your well-being. At the end of winter, we will undoubtedly see scores of households around Milton, Oakville, Burlington and the Toronto area, reeling from damage caused by broken eavestrough installation There are many things that can go wrong, which are then compounded by the cold weather. Even a minor buildup of leaves in late fall, can accumulate debris, freeze and cause flooding. Even more catastrophic results can come about when blockages drop into the drains and cause a buildup of water, which results in cracked pipes as outside temperatures rise. By using a seamless installation, the likelihood of suffering from such problems is vastly reduced.
• When you have budget concerns – People can be surprised at the amounts they are quoted for new installations and baulk at the idea of spending a large amount on guttering. If you simply can’t finance a seamless installation right now, you’ll probably end up going with traditional gutters. However, in the long run, traditional gutters will probably end up costing you just as much, and take up more of your time. If you can afford the initial outlay, it’s often better to go with a new seamless installation and enjoy the peace of mind it gives you.

The good news is that you have already taken the first step, in that you are paying attention to your guttering and considering which solution works best for you. Consider the amount of time you are willing to spend on maintenance, plus any future costs and compare them with the upfront costs of an all-new guttering installation. This will help you to make the right choice for your home.

Some of the biggest hazards faced by gutters and downspouts in the Toronto area are caused by cold weather. Perhaps the most serious of these occur when they become blocked with ice. This can often damage their structural integrity and increase their mass, causing further damage to the home. Once an eavestrough installation is blocked, it can easily lead to flooding and other major problems. Regrettably, there is no easy fix for gutters and downspouts that are blocked up with ice.

Think Before You Act When You Discover a Blocked Eavestrough Installation

Despite the inevitable frustration you will feel upon finding an iced-up gutter or downspout, you’ll need to resist the urge to find a sledgehammer solution to the problem. Such an approach will invariably make things worse. Trying to find a quick home-made remedy to this kind of problem usually results in more damage being done than if you hadn’t lifted a finger. The arrival of spring in towns like Milton, Burlington and Oakville often sees people digging deep for professional repairs and lamenting their carelessness. To avoid becoming one of them, be aware of the following:

• Leave the Axe in the Garage – No matter how natural it seems to try to chip the ice away using an axe or a pick, and no matter how careful and skillful you believe yourself to be, this is usually a recipe for disaster. Ice can be tough to shift and you’ll have to put your back into it to make any progress. Even catching the surface of the gutter or downspout can result in its destruction. The ice is tough to shift, but it is very easy to smash your eavestrough installation with an axe or a pick.
• Don’t Try to Melt the Ice by Yourself – While this approach admittedly seems smarter than using brute force to fix the problem, it is likely to be ineffective and could still have damaging results. Attempting to melt the ice with salt and other substances, will lead to an increase in volume and further flooding. It is likely that your drains will remain full and simply refreeze the following night.
• Don’t Hire Uninsured Cowboys – Choosing to go with a professional is a good option, but you must beware of the many cowboys floating around in the winter months. They will tell you that they are insured and offer to clear the ice from your eavestrough installation at what seems like a good price. If things go wrong, however (as they often do with cowboys) – you’re going to have to pick up the bill when you find they have vanished and didn’t have cover in the first place. Always ask to see insurance documents.

Avoiding these three courses of action could mean you dodge a second bullet when spring comes around. But is there a way for you to dodge the first bullet in the first place? As it turns out, there is: At the end of fall, when the last leaves have fallen from the trees, you should make sure your eavestrough installation is cleaned thoroughly. Debris in drains freezes and prevents water from passing through. Once that happens, thawing becomes very difficult. No matter where you live, ensuring your drains are cleaned professionally at least twice a year, is the best way to prevent ice blockages, flooding and damage in the winter.

If it’s too late for that, make sure you choose a reputable tradesperson to deal with the emergency. Check their licensing and insurance – including workers’ compensation. If they cause an injury, you don’t want to be held liable.

When it comes to eavestrough installation, most DIYers and home renovation enthusiasts will put down their tools and pick up the phone to call a professional contractor. The first reason for this is that installing an eavestrough can be tricky to get right. In addition to getting the spacing and fitting right, it’s absolutely essential to ensure that all joints are properly sealed, and that the whole eavestrough is fixed at just the right angle to ensure the right amount of flow.

There Are Several Eavestrough Installation Companies in the GTA – How Do You Know Which One to Choose?

There are many contractors in the local area – Milton, Oakville, Burlington and other towns offer several options for eavestrough installation. Now you need to know how to choose the best one for the job. You can do this by asking several questions and considering the answers you receive, in order to narrow down your options and eventually find the right contractor for your job. Consider asking some of the following questions:

• How Will Your Existing Roof Warranty Be Affected? – Obviously the answer to this question differs for each particular situation. You’ll need to dig out your roof warranty and find out what stipulations are made about any modifications. Quite often, if the eavestrough installation disturbs the roofline, your warranty can become void. You’ll need to discuss this with your contractor and ensure that you are both conscious of how the work could affect your existing warranty.
• How Long Will it Take? – This is a pretty straightforward question on the face of it. Unless your house is particularly large, has awkward access or requires some kind of specialist approach, your eavestrough installation should be completed within a day. As we well know, however, the weather in the Toronto area can occasionally deteriorate alarmingly quickly. If the job is postponed due to the sudden onset of winter, you won’t want to wait until Spring to get the job finished.
• How Much Will it Cost? – Again, no two jobs are alike and there can be a big difference in price between a large and complicated job and a straightforward installation. Once the contractor has had the chance to take a look at the work that needs to be done, they should give you an itemized estimate of labour costs, materials, tax and so on.
• What Are the Terms of Payment? – Most contractors are likely to ask for a deposit before any work is done. After all, they have to source the materials and keep their business running at the same time. For most jobs, the deposit shouldn’t be more than one quarter of the total cost. If you are asked for more, it could mean that your contractor is experiencing liquidity issues – they may charge you a high deposit and the delay the work in favour of more lucrative contracts.
• Will the New Eavestroughs Be Seamless? – Seamless eavestroughs are made from a single piece of material, rather than several pieces joined together. They are usually preferable to joined eavestroughs as their natural smoothness prevents dirt and leaves getting trapped and eventually contributing to blockages. In the same way, they also offer better protection against leaks. Material that is joined together is more likely to break and spring a leak than one, continuous piece of material.

What is certain, when you hire a contractor to install new eavestroughs on your property, is that there is no margin for error. You need to be certain that you choose someone who will get the job done right at the first time of asking. Blockages and leaks can cause all kinds of problems which could end up costing you a lot more money. Don’t allow yourself to be swayed by very low prices – it’s standards that count in the long-run.

Eavestroughs have a pretty simple mandate: Catch the water that runs off the roof of your home, be it in Milton, Oakville, Burlington or Toronto and channel it to the downspouts. Rocket science it’s not. But eavestroughs are only as effective as the job that was done to install them. Hire a discount or unqualified contractor to handle your eavestrough installation and you’re opening yourself up for a host of problems that can begin almost as soon as you’ve paid the installation bill and continue for years afterward. In this post we’ll look at some of those common problems that can be averted if you have your eavestrough installation handled by the pros at Alliance Trust.

The Importance of Quality Eavestrough Installation

Eavestroughs may seem like no big deal but poorly installed eavestroughs can cause a rash of problems that can lead to leaky roofs, unwanted pests invading your home, electrical problems, water in the basement and more. Below are some common problems with gutters that are often the result of poor or discount installations.

• The gutters become clogged: The most common of all gutter problems is also one that will wreak havoc with your home if it’s not cleared up quickly. Better yet avoid the problem altogether by having your eavestroughs professionally installed, including proper gutter guards, to prevent the eavestrough from becoming clogged in the first place. Discount installers often skip this feature in an effort to save money.

• Weak joins: Sections of eavestrough come together at what are called “joins”. If these joins are done quickly or haphazardly by inexperienced or poorly trained installers the sections of gutter can begin to separate almost as soon as the caulk is dry. The result will be water on the ground next to your foundation that may lead to excessive hydrostatic pressure on the foundation walls and water in the basement.

• Gutters hung at the wrong angle: Gutters need to be hung at the proper angle so that water that enters them can be moved quickly and effectively toward the downspout. If the angle is too shallow water will stagnate in the eavestrough. If it’s too steep the downspout can become overwhelmed and water will spill over onto the ground. Hanging eavestroughs at the wrong angle is a common mistake less experienced installers will make.

• Gutters coming loose from the house: If you look up and notice your eavestrough is hanging precipitously off the house it’s because they weren’t secured properly to the fascia. This is another problem that often pops up as the result of discount eavestrough installation. Discount installers try and cut corners by not using enough hangers. But improperly supported gutters can start pulling away from the house after only a few heavy rain events.

• Downspouts depositing water next to the house: Eavestroughs and downspouts were invented to protect the foundation of the house. If all the water from the roof were allowed to cascade down to the ground around the foundation the house would have major basement flooding issues and perhaps become unstable as well. If the downspouts are too short and dumping water right next to the foundation you might as well not have an eavestrough system. This is another mistake made by companies trying to install gutters on the cheap.

Eavestrough installation is not a glamorous subject but having it done properly is crucial to the overall health of your largest investment, your home. Make sure when you need gutter repair or replacement that you choose the company more people in Milton, Oakville, Burlington and Toronto choose to do the job right: Alliance Trust Aluminum Inc.